


Crossroads

by ArchangelUnmei



Category: Cardcaptor Sakura, YuYu Hakusho
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-02
Updated: 2010-09-02
Packaged: 2017-10-11 10:04:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/111207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArchangelUnmei/pseuds/ArchangelUnmei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A demon and a magician cross paths.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crossroads

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Book of Shadows](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/1375) by Joisbishmyoga. 



> I blame this one on Joisbishmyoga's hysterical fanfic [Book of Shadows](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1850193/1/Book_of_Shadows). It made me wonder about Clow being famous, which would have attracted Kurama while he was still alive. After all, if we assume CCS and YYH both take place "now", Clow lived about 400 years ago, and Kurama's been alive for a thousand at least...

He had no interest in the Clow Cards.

He'd done his research, he knew that to gain control of the Cards you had to be tested and master them. And even after you'd mastered them, you had to put up with the Guardians, who also served as alarms if you _weren't_ trying to master the Cards and were simply trying to steal them. And even then, the Cards were difficult to use in the sorts of battles you got into in Makai, they required too much chanting and too many intricate magic circles. No, he had no interest at all in stealing the Cards.

But the Cards weren't the only magical artifacts of great value that could be found in Clow Reed's mansion. Theoretically, if one could gather enough of those unique and highly magical trinkets, he would be set for life.

And so it was that Youko Kurama, feared demon thief, found himself sneaking into the old English manor in Hong Kong. He was wary, because up until now it had been far too easy. Really, for someone with as much magical power as Reed (allegedly) had, his home was surprisingly free of traps and wards. There had been basic perimeter wards, but they'd been easy to break for someone with Kurama's skills, and as far as he could tell the breaking of those wards hadn't set off any other alarms, magical or otherwise. The doors only had normal human locks, no magical ones whatsoever.

Then again, rumor said that the Clow Cards' Guardians were demons, so perhaps Reed let them wander about freely, and wards would have gotten in their way?

Still... it left things nicely open for thievery, which Kurama was taking full advantage of now. Not that he was going to complain too much.

He eased the door closed behind him, careful not to let the latch click back into place loudly. He crouched, motionless, eyes narrowed to keep any stray light from glinting off them. He was hidden well in the shadows, nearly invisible despite being pale, with silver hair and fur on his tail and ears, and dressed in pale gray. Such was the advantage of being a demon.

Slowly, he eased his hand up to his hair, freeing a rose seed from where it lay hidden, just in case. He palmed it, ears swiveling for any noise. According to his research, by this time of night Reed should be up in his bedroom or the attached study. He kept no servants, and the little intel Kurama had been able to gather said that his Guardians spent most of their time near him.

Satisfied that he was so far undetected, Kurama began to move. He kept in a low crouch, moving along the heavy shadows at the edges of the rooms. His demonic vision let him see in the darkness easily, maneuvering around furniture with no trouble.

He paused again at the archway into another room, listening hard. If the floor plans he'd stolen were correct, the library should be two doors down this hall, on the left. He'd start there, then see what else he could find without venturing into the more dangerous territory upstairs. Kurama was already cataloging the value of everything he saw, tapestries and heavy Persian rugs and vases and candlesticks, but they were all so _mundane_. He was the great thief Youko Kurama, he was after the unique blend of magic that Clow Reed was so known for, not a vase he could steal from any half-decent governor in any of a half dozen different nations across the three worlds.

Slowly, Kurama edged into the hall, eyes pinned to the stairway at the end of it and ears swiveling to catch any noise. His hand flexed around his rose seed, but he forced himself to be calm. If he used any power, it might be detected. He had to keep his head.

His eyes flicked around the hall, settling on the door to the library. There were candle scones set in the walls, but none of them were lit, which strengthened the possibility that Reed had already retreated upstairs for the night. Good. He began easing himself down the hall, forcing himself to move slowly and take even breaths. One step. Two. Three.

He reached the door without incident, but didn't touch it yet. He eyed the handle, as well as the door in its entirety, magical senses reaching out to search it passively for any trap or ward. Finding none, he reached out to brush his fingers over the handle. Still nothing, so he silently wrapped his fingers around it, and turned.

It wasn't even locked...!

Kurama allowed himself a wicked grin at the sorcerer's stupidity. Humans were so _trusting_ once inside their own dens! Still, he would have to be careful. He eased the door open as slowly as he could, holding his breath as he waited for any squeak of the hinges that might betray him.

He was concentrating so hard on the door that he yelped like a goosed kit when it was grabbed and yanked out of his hand. He lept backward, diagonally down the hall, eyes flickering across the door to the library.

_Humanoid figure, tall, long silver hair, pale skin, pale robes, pale eyes..._

For a moment Kurama almost thought he'd encountered a mirror, or some sort of defensive doppelganger spell, until his mind automatically took note of the lack of ears and tail on the other figure, the more complex and ornamented robes. One of the Guardians, then. Probably the Moon Guardian.

Kurama's arm flashed down with a demon's reflexes, already pushing power into the seed as the words formed on his lips. "Rose Whi-"

Something flashed out of the library past the Moon Guardian, barely ruffling his hair. Kurama got a vague impression of four legs and golden fur in the dim light before the damned Sun Guardian slammed into him and knocked him over backward. The half-formed Rose Whip flew out of Kurama's hand, reverting instantly back to a seed as his power stopped fueling its growth. He looked up, into narrowed gold eyes and a blocky leonine muzzle of snarling, pointed teeth.

Other instincts took over, and Kurama began to shift from his human-Youko form to his four-tailed fox form, which just about matched the Sun Guardian in size. He swiped claws at the golden fur, growling in annoyance as they scraped over the metal collar the Sun Guardian was wearing. He twisted, trying to scramble out from under the Sun Guardian, but the other beast just snarled and lay down on top of him, effectively trapping the youko.

"CLOW!!" The Sun Guardian bellowed, making Kurama growl and pin his ears back at the noise.

A minute later, and Kurama could hear unhurried footsteps coming down the stairs. "A thief," the Moon Guardian murmured, low enough that Kurama probably wasn't supposed to hear. "A demon."

Kurama twisted, trying to see, but the Sun Guardian's large feathered wings were in the way. He snarled again, and the Guardian just snarled back.

"Is that so?" Clow Reed's voice was lighter than Kurama expected, his footsteps still unhurried as he circled around the Sun Guardian so he and Kurama could get a look at each other.

The sorcerer was not what Kurama had expected, to say the least. Tall, yes, with surprisingly broad shoulders, but not terribly imposing at all. His glossy black hair was very long, bound back into a slender braid. He was wearing a housecoat and bunny slippers, of all things, and carrying a lit candlestick to show his way. Silver-rimmed round glasses did little to hide the shrewd look in his eyes as he studied the thieving youko.

Kurama narrowed his eyes, then abruptly shifted back to his humanoid form. Reed's expression didn't even flicker, and he gave a bland smile. "May I know whom I'm addressing, sir fox?"

Kurama twitched and spat out a Makai curse, making the Sun Guardian growl and the Moon Guardian frown sharply over his master's shoulder. Kurama tried to get a hand to his hair to find another seed, but the Sun Guardian reached out a massive paw to pin his arm.

Reed simply sighed and shook his head. "I suppose you're after the Cards?"

"No," Kurama snorted, slightly gratified to see the look of faint surprise flicker across the Moon Guardian's face. Reed's expression still didn't change. "I'm not _stupid_. The Clow Cards require years to master, and if you're smart you've made it so they can't be mastered by demons anyway."

"Hm," Reed made a noncommittal sound, not confirming or denying the allegation. He looked down at Kurama thoughtfully. The youko's ears pinned themselves back, he didn't like that look. "If you're not after the Cards, then I suppose you've come to murder me."

Kurama snorted. "I'm a thief, not an assassin. I don't care enough to kill you."

"Well, you do now that I've caught you, no doubt," Reed handed the candle to the Moon Guardian and crouched by Kurama, looking at him thoughtfully. "Well, sir fox, what can I do to convince you not to kill us?"

Kurama rolled his eyes. "Considering your fat-assed pet cat is sitting on my _tail_..."

"Oh dear," Reed ignored the Sun Guardian's strangled snarl, as well as the Moon Guardian's amused cough. "Cerberos, do move off the youko's tail."

The Sun Guardian looked ready to spit fire, but obediently shifted.

Kurama eyed the smiling sorcerer warily, wondering what he wanted. Reed was being polite enough, but he had to know that he had Kurama backed into a corner.

The two eyed each other for a minute longer, then Reed seemed to reach some sort of a conclusion. "I propose a trade, sir fox." Before Kurama could say anything, Reed reached into his house coat and drew out a card, about six inches long by two inches wide. Kurama couldn't see the front, just the red and gold magic circle painted on the back, but his eyes sharpened hungrily. He may not want the Cards themselves, but knowledge could be just as valuable. How many demons could claim they'd ever actually seen a Clow Card used? By Clow Reed himself, no less?

The Card began to glow, and there was a faint rustle. Kurama's eyes widened as he watched a small figure appear out of the card. She was only about ten inches tall, a small feminine figure with mottled brown skin and hair of deep green leaves. She held out her hands to Reed, and he reached up with the hand not holding the Card to take a small object from her. "Thank you, Wood," he murmured, warm affection coloring his voice. The tiny woman smiled and bowed, then disappeared back into the Card. Reed tucked it back into his pocket, then turned his attention back to Kurama.

"This is more valuable to you than anything else I have in this house," he was still smiling blandly, one of the most effective masks Kurama had ever seen. Between his thumb and forefinger, he held out a plain-looking brownish-yellow seed. Instinctively Kurama reached out to it with his magic, to feel what it was, what plant it would become, and his eyes flew wide in honest shock.

Reed's smile widened just a tad, became just the slightest bit more genuine. "That's right, this is a seed of Wood, though of course the plant that this seed grows won't be sentient, not like the Card. But it's the only one of its type, and I think that and the challenge of finding out its properties is enough to entice you, sir fox."

He was right, damn him. Kurama was practically drooling already. But he frowned, eying Reed. "You mentioned a trade."

The sorcerer nodded, still holding the seed before him like a carrot before a rabbit. "Yes. I'll give you the seed and let you leave here, sir fox, and in return all I ask is that you never come here again, and one of your hairs."

Kurama twitched. The very thought-! But yet, that seed....!

Finally he gave a jerky nod, snarling in anger. "Fine."

Reed looked pleased, reaching down to select one of the longer hairs and delicately pluck it from Kurama's head, ignoring the low growl that buzzed in the youko's throat. "Very good. Perhaps this will distract Yuuko for a bit... Let him up, Cerberos."

Both Guardians stared at him like he'd lost his mind. "Clow, are you sure..."

Kurama snarled, shoving at the Sun Guardian's chest. "I gave my word!" he snapped. "Now get _off_."

The Guardian growled again, but obligingly rolled off of him. Kurama pulled himself to his feet and dusted himself off, tail lashing in both annoyance and anticipation as his eyes drifted back to the seed Reed still held. "Well?" He pointedly ignored the way both Guardians bristled at his tone.

Reed just smiled, reaching out and dropping the seed into his palm. "Our deal is made, sir fox."

Kurama gave a curt nod, immediately stowing the precious seed in his hair with the others. He turned on his heel and strode out of the manor, refusing to run. But at the treeline, before he opened a portal to return to Makai, he couldn't help but glance back at the manor.

He decided eventually that Clow Reed was a very interesting man. And years later, when Kurama learned of his death, he almost allowed himself to mourn.

**Author's Note:**

> **Notes/Vocabulary:**  
> Makai - the Demon World in YYH
> 
> The three worlds - a YYH concept. Makai, the demon world. Ningenkai, the human world. Reikai, the spirit world.
> 
> Youko is Kurama's species of demon, but he also uses it as a sort of title too, and he's often referred to as Youko Kurama.
> 
> Clow's bunny slippers were a gift from Yuuko.
> 
> Clow's calling him sir fox because kitsune (and their fictional demon cousins, youko) are known to get seriously pissed if you're rude to them. So it's easier just to be polite from the start. Clow's well-read enough to have known that, and cool-headed enough to have remembered it.
> 
> The idea of trading for a strand of Kurama's hair stolen from another of Joisbishmyoga's fanfics, [The Best Defense](http://foreverfandom.net/viewstory.php?sid=44).
> 
> What did Kurama do with the Wood seed? Who knows. Clow found the rose seed he left behind and planted it, if anyone cares. It bloomed silver roses.
> 
> I need to stop writing fanfics at 2am, ne?


End file.
